Polaroid Instagram camera prints your photos on the go
Polaroid has introduced the Socialmatic camera, which looks just like the Instagram logo, right down to its size ratio. Many would ask why would anyone want to buy such a bulky camera that is at best average. Well, I would argue that besides the fact that it can print your photos on the spot, it also houses a smartphone running Android. Without the SIM card slot, though.
When I watched the Polaroid Socialmatic camera in action, I immediately thought: that would be a good replacement for my junk tablet. Not because it’s as big as my 8 inch no-name tablet, but because it offers Android OS (although I don’t know what version yet, but probably 4.4 KitKat) and a magnificent camera. It is a bulky device, which definitely won’t fit in your pocket, not even in a smaller purse, for that matter, but it would be the perfect gadget for tourism.
The Polaroid Socialmatic camera packs a 4.5 inch screen, resolution unknown, a 14 MP rear camera and 2 MP front camera, 4 GB internal storage and a microSD card slot. A frontal LCD with mood assistant AI sits on the spot of the viewfinder, and displays a smiley face which turns frowny when you don’t use the Polaroid Socialmatic enough. A speaker is placed next to the 14 MP shooter, and the Polaroid Socialmatic also features Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The photo printer is nestled inside the plastic body of the device and holds 10 sheets of ZINK instant photo paper.
The Polaroid Socialmatic is still just a prototype, but the company wants to launch it at the beginning of 2015 with an estimated price of $390. It does have a hefty price and you might be better off getting a Lumia 1020 or Panasonic’s newly announced Lumix CM1 or even any other selfie-phone like Lenovo’s Vibe Z2, OPPO’s N1, N1 Mini or upcoming N3. Even phones like the Sony Xperia Z2, Z3 and Huawei Ascend Mate 7 will outdo the Polaroid Socialmatic camera. Or just get a Fujifilm Instax camera for $60. Nonetheless, it does feature a unique design and the price is not that bad.
The design was probably made with travelers in mind, because I would see myself touting this device if I were to travel the world and interact with all sorts of people. I would want to leave them an instant photo made with the Polaroid Socialmatic as a token and would probably gather some people with the looks of the device. The Polaroid Socialmatic does seem like a device that was intended to look cool rather than be functional, but it still seems appealing to me. What do you think about it? How would you see yourself using this device?
Categories: Tech
Tags: cameraphone, instant camera printer, Polaroid, Polaroid Socialmatic